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Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

One of my favorite books to share with my children is Simms Taback’s Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. The tale tells of Joseph who had, what else, but a favorite little overcoat. Eventually it gets “old and worn.” Instead of throwing it away, he makes it into a jacket. Once that also gets “old and worn,” the jacket becomes a scarf, and so on. Joseph continues to transform his garments as needed until he is down to just a button. Unfortunately, the button gets lost, but despite this development, Joseph still manages to make something out of it. The book … Continue reading →

Something from Nothing

If you look hard enough, you can usually make something from nothing. Whether you have a need or a want, here are some thoughts on how you can take advantage of nothing to make something. Have you seen the children’s book, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback? The story follows a man named Joseph and the adventures of what was once a little overcoat. Through the years, the overcoat is worn down and turned into something else, which gets worn and then turned into something else again, until there is nothing left. Then the nothing is turned into … Continue reading →

Media Week in Review – May 5th-10th

Thank you for joining us at our look back at the week here in Media. We began the week with a look at the Christian novel, “A Bride Most Begrudging.” Constance was mistakenly sent as a tobacco bride to the new colonies in America, but she discovers that perhaps this new land holds more for her than she ever thought. American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken released another album this week, and the legendary Neil Diamond has a new offering coming soon as well. I guess we’ll all be standing in line at the music store or hovering on our favorite … Continue reading →

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat – Simms Taback

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is a Caldecott winner and a charming book for young children. Author and illustrator Simms Taback based the story on an old Yiddish folksong. The lyrics and music for the song are in the back of the book. The illustrations are vibrant, utilizing unique multimedia methods and die cut holes. The wording is simple. “Joseph had a little overcoat. It was old and worn.” One page shows Joseph with his worn and patched overcoat. The other has a jacket shaped hole in the page. When you turn the page the hole matches up with the … Continue reading →

Writing About the Caldecott Medal Winners

For those of you who have been reading my blogs about the Caldecott Medal winners, you know that I have learned a lot. I have learned not necessarily just about art or illustrations, but about myself as an avid reader and a parent. I have learned about the kinds of books that I would like to share with my daughter, and those I would prefer to leave until she is a little bit older. I have enjoyed reading these books as much as I did when I was younger. I have liked reading them as much as I enjoy reading … Continue reading →

Winners of the Caldecott Medal: 1998-2002

For more information about the origins of the Caldecott Medal, please see The Caldecott Medal and the Man for Whom it was Named. I am giving a brief synopsis of each book along with a comment about the artwork here and there. I am also including lists of the Honor winners for each year. I hope you enjoy my series. Comments are welcomed!! 1998 “Rapunzel” by Paul O. Zelinsky In this retelling of the classic tale, Paul Zelinsky really creates a believable story that a girl could have hair strong enough for someone to climb up it. Her hair is … Continue reading →